New Alfa Romeo Stelvio Nero Edizione 2019 review

Thanks to generous finance deals, this Nero Edizione is our pick of the Stelvio model range. It adds desirable equipment and some Quadrifoglio style for a small extra outlay, while retaining all of the things we love about Alfa Romeo’s first SUV. It’s suitably spacious inside, and more fun to drive than its rivals.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio has been one of the finest-handling SUVs ever since it launched in 2017. Rivalling the Porsche Macan for fun, but with space for all the family, it’s one of our top mid-size SUVs.

It’s pretty well equipped, too, hence why our pick of the range up to now has been the basic Stelvio Super. With 18-inch wheels, an 8.8-inch widescreen sat-nav, dual-zone climate control and part-leather seats, it easily rivals a similarly priced BMW X3 or Audi Q5 for standard kit.

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But what if you want more, yet can’t afford to step up to the pricier Speciale? Well, Alfa Romeo has just the ticket: the new Stelvio Nero Edizione.

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Based on the entry-level Super, the Nero Edizione (Black Edition to us Brits) also boasts the pricier Speciale’s xenon lights, tinted windows and LED foglamps. The ‘Nero’ bits include a set of 20-inch alloys, plus darkened exhausts, skidplates, roof bars, badges, mirror caps and window surrounds. The grille is black as well.

It gives the more affordable end of the Stelvio range a dose of flagship Quadrifoglio style. It commands a premium of £2,400 over a like-for-like Super, yet thanks to a £1,500 deposit contribution, the Nero Edizione comes out at just £7 more per month. That’s the equivalent of just two fancy flat white coffees.

Inside, it’s business as usual. Apart from some aluminium pedals and those tinted rear windows, it’s identical to the standard Super. That means the same glorious metal shift paddles and intuitive dash layout, but the same questionable quality in places, too. Some of the parts you touch regularly feel a bit cheap for a £40k premium SUV.

Elsewhere, the Nero Edizione drives like any other Stelvio. There are two engines to choose from, but it’s the diesel that will be the pick of the range. It’s around £1,000 more than the 197bhp 2.0 turbo petrol car, but is far more economical and infinitely more flexible when driving – with plenty of shove for quick overtakes. The eight-speed gearbox is the tried-and-tested ZF, and it responds quickly to manual inputs and operates smoothly in auto mode.

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Even on the larger wheels, ride comfort toes a neat line between compliant and a little firm, blending the two with impressive harmony. While rougher roads can cause the car to bounce about a bit, it feels remarkably agile for a tall SUV. The driving position is excellent; you sit low in the Alfa, hugged in place by the supportive part-leather seats.

Like all Stelvios, there’s plenty of cabin space, and the long body means the Alfa has a decent boot – offering enough room for anything a family may throw at it. It lacks the outright flexibility of a Land Rover Discovery Sport, but it’s practical enough.